FOLLOWING IN HIS OWN FOOTSTEPS TAFT'S HAYNES DECIDES TO BE HIMSELF INSTEAD OF EMULATING FARMAR.

Byline: Ramona Shelburne  Staff Writer

The comparison was easy. Probably too easy.

Calvin Haynes was Taft High of Woodland Hills' second-leading scorer behind Jordan Farmar. He played guard, Farmar played guard. Both were highly skilled and athletic. Both could score points in bunches.

Before the Taft boys' basketball team had even picked up its rings for winning the City Section championship in 2003, all anyone could talk about was how Haynes, then a sophomore, was going to step into Farmar's shoes after Farmar moved on to UCLA in the fall.

``Right after we won the championship,'' Haynes said, ``Coach (Derrick Taylor) came to me and told me that this was my team now, that I'd have to lead just like Jordan did.''

For a while, Haynes took that challenge to heart, interpreting it in its most literal sense. He tried to play like Farmar, although he's more of a wing than the natural point guard Farmar is.

He tried to talk like Farmar and act like Farmar, although they have different personalities.

In the process, he forgot to be himself.

``Nobody really likes to be mentioned after somebody,'' said Taft sophomore guard Larry Drew Jr. ``Last year I think (Calvin) was more focused on what people wanted him to do. Now I think it's coming more naturally to him. He's opening up, being himself, making his own name.''

As one of four seniors for the Toreadors, the Oregon State-bound Haynes unquestionably is Taft's leader. And if young standouts such as Drew, Oscar Bellfield, Garrett Green and Javeal Boykins develop quickly, Haynes could find himself in the same position Farmar was in two years ago: playing for the City title.

``I agree with Larry. Everybody would always tell me last year that I had to do what Jordan did,'' said Haynes, who averaged 18 points as a sophomore and 25 as a junior. ``But I talked again with my coach this year, and he said, `This isn't Jordan's team anymore. This is your team. Run it the way you want to run it.' ''

Haynes has focused on being more assertive in his leadership and more active in his all-around game on the court, instead of just scoring.

In practice, he's a stickler for details, almost more so than Taylor.

``I'm not going to yell for no reason,'' he said. ``I want to get (a City title), and they want to get there, too, and the only way I know how to do that is to come down hard when we don't do things the right way.

``Me and coach Taylor are pretty much the only ones left from (2003). The younger players don't know how hard it is until you reach the point in the playoffs where you have to cherish every possession. There's no more throwing the ball away and it's all right. Or not hustling to a ball. You gotta do everything right in the playoffs if you want to come out on top.''

Ramona Shelburne, [phone]

ramona.shelburne(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1) Taft High's Calvin Haynes averaged 18 points per game as a sophomore and 25 as a junior.

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer

(2) HAYNES